Rhododendron plant named &#39;HOMLED&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Rhododendron  cultivar named ‘HOMLED’ is disclosed, characterized by distinctive large, single lavender flowers and a narrow, upright plant form. Plants bloom Spring, Summer and Fall. The new cultivar is a  Rhododendron , suitable for ornamental garden purposes.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Rhododendron hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘HOMLED’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program by the inventor, Robert Edward Lee. The inventor's intention was to develop compact growing Rhododendron hybrid plants with re-blooming characteristics. This new variety, hereinafter referred to as ‘HOMLED’, was discovered as a seedling, resulting from the crossing of Rhododendron Watchet', unpatented with the pollen parent Rhododendron ‘Conleb’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,581. The cross was performed during the Spring of 1996, and the new variety selected by the inventor during the Fall of 2002 in Independence, La.

After identifying the new variety as a potentially interesting selection, the inventor first organized propagation of ‘HOMLED’ by vegetative cuttings during Fall 2002 at a commercial nursery in Independence, La. The inventor continued confidential, controlled testing and propagation, assessing stability of the unique characteristics of this variety. Multiple generations have been reproduced and have shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘HOMLED’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘HOMLED’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘HOMLED’ as a new and distinct Rhododendron cultivar:

1. Unique spring, summer, and fall blooming.

2. Lavender flowers.

3. Easily propagated with semi-hardwood cuttings in late spring through the summer.

4. Good specimen plant.

5. Excellent performance in containers.

6. Upright growth habit

7. Vigorous growth under normal fertilization and moisture conditions.

8. Hardy to Zone 7.

9. Attracts butterflies.

10. Large, single flowers.

COMPARISON TO PARENT VARIETY

‘HOMLED’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to the seed parent variety Rhododendron hybrid ‘Watchet’. Plants of the new cultivar ‘HOMLEB’ however, produce lavender flowers, compared to the light pink flowers of ‘Watchet’. Additionally, plant habit is overall less compact in the new variety, compared to the seed parent.

‘HOMLED’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to the pollen parent Rhododendron hybrid ‘Conleb’. Plants of the new cultivar ‘HOMLED’ however, produce lavender flowers, whereas ‘Conleb’ produces deep orange red flowers. Additionally, plant habit of ‘HOMLED’ is narrow and upright whereas the pollen parent has a plant shape which is more globose.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘HOMLED’ can be compared to the commercial variety Rhododendron hybrid ‘Robles’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,762. Plants of the new cultivar ‘HOMLED’ are similar to plants of ‘Robles’ in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘HOMLED’ produce lighter colored flowers than ‘Robles’. Additionally, plant form of the new variety is upright, whereas plant form of ‘Robles’ is spreading, with a mature size typically around 3.5 feet wide and 3 feet tall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a close up of typical flowers of the new variety. FIG. 2 illustrates a typical plant of ‘HOMLED’ grown outdoors in Alabama. The plant is approximately 2 years old, and is shown planted in the ground. The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2007 except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘HOMLED’ plants grown outdoors in Loxley, Ala. Plants are approximately 3 years old, in a 3 gallon nursery container. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Rhododendron hybrid ‘HOMLED’ -   Propagation: Typically by semi-hardwood cuttings in Spring and     Summer.     -   -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous young roots, well branched.             Colored near RHS Grey-Brown 199A. -   Plant:     -   -   Growth habit.—Compact , globular shrub.         -   Height.—Approximately 36 cm to top of foliar and flowering             plane.         -   Plant spread.—Approximately 45 cm.         -   Branching characteristics.—Well branched, approximately 4             primary branches from the center of the plant. Branches             occur at approximately 45° to 75° angles. Each primary             branch has 4 to 8 lateral branches.         -   Primary branches.—         -   Length of primary branches.—Average 18 cm.         -   Diameter of primary branches.—Approximately 0.5 cm.         -   Primary branch strength.—Very strong, difficult to break.         -   Primary branch color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green N144C, with age,             covered with a thin bark like layer colored near             Greyed-Orange 165A.         -   Primary branch texture.—Young growth hirsute, hairs,             approximately 0.15 cm long, colored near Greyed-Orange             171 B. Older growth scaly, hirsute. Hairs colored near White             155D.         -   Lateral branches.—         -   Number of lateral branches.—Approximately 4 to 8 per primary             branch.         -   Length of lateral branches.—Average 8 cm.         -   Diameter of lateral branches.—Average 0.4 cm.         -   Lateral branch strength.—Very strong, flexible.         -   Lateral branch color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B.         -   Lateral branch texture.—Hirsute.         -   Internode length.—Average 1.0 cm.         -   Age of plant described.—Approximately 2 years. -   Foliage:     -   -   Leaf.—Type: Simple Arrangement: Alternate Average Length:             Approximately 4.1 cm. Average Width: Approximately 1.7 cm.             Shape of blade: Oblanceolate to nearly spatulate. Apex:             Rounded, blunt. Base: Broad attenuate. Attachment: Stalked             Margin: Entire. Texture of top surface: Pubescent. Hairs             appressed. Texture of bottom surface: Pubescent. More hairs             present along main vein and margin. Color: Young foliage             upper side: Near RHS Green 139A Young foliage under side:             Near RHS Green 137B Mature foliage upper side: Near RHS             Green 137A, but darker Mature foliage under side: Near RHS             Green 138B Venation: Type: Pinnate. Venation color upper             side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C Venation color under side:             Near RHS Yellow-Green 151B Petiole: Length: About 1.3 cm.             Diameter: About 0.3 cm Color: Upper Surface: Near RHS             Yellow-Green 145A Lower Surface: Near RHS Yellow-Green 151C. -   Flower:     -   -   Bloom period.—Plants flower in the Spring, then begin             intermittent flowering cycles in late Spring/Summer through             Fall.         -   Flower.—Arrangement: Axillary clusters of perfect, open             funnel shaped individual flowers. Typically 3 to 7 flowers             per cluster.         -   Inflorescence.—Height: Average 12.0 cm. Diameter: Average             13.0 cm.         -   Peduncle.—Length: Average 2.8 cm. Diameter: 0.3 cm. Color:             Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C Texture: Densely pubescent.             Aspect: Straight to very slightly curved. Angle of             attachment, approximately 15° angle from stem.         -   Flowers.—Length: Average 4.9 cm. Diameter: Average 5.5 cm.             Facing direction: Outwardly and upwardly facing. Persistent             or self-cleaning: Petals self-cleaning Fragrance: None.             Tube: Tube length: Approximately 1.8 cm Tube width a widest             point: Approximately 1.7 cm Tube width and narrowest point:             Approximately .9 cm Petals: Unfused petal segments: Length:             Approximately 2.5 cm. Width: Approximately 2.6 cm Apex:             Blunt, rounded with shallow, irregular lobes Shape of petal:             Unfused portion, obovate. Petal margin: Entire. Aspect             undulating. Petal Arrangement: Approximately ⅓ fused from             base. Petal Number: 5 Petal Texture: Smooth Color: Upper             surface at first opening: Near RHS Red-Purple N74C Under             surface at first opening: Near RHS Red-Purple N74D Inner             surface at maturity: Near RHS Red-Purple 65B, 3 upper petals             dotted with Red-Purple 71D Outer surface at maturity: Near             RHS Red-Purple N74C Upper surface at fading: Near RHS             Red-Purple 73D. Under surface at fading: Near RHS Red-Purple             75D.         -   Bud.—Shape: Elliptic Length: 2.8 cm Diameter: 1.2 cm Color:             Near RHS Red-Purple N74C.         -   Calyx/sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5 sepals Shape: Narrow             deltate Length: 0.7 cm Width: 0.3 cm Apex: Acute Base: Fused             Margin: Entire Texture: Highly pubescent Color: Inner             Surface: Near RHS Green 137A Outer Surface: Near RHS Green             137A. -   Reproductive organs: Stamens: Number: 10 Length: 2.9 cm Width: 0.1     cm Color: Near RHS Red-Purple 75D Anthers: Length: Approximately 0.3     cm Color: Near RHS Greyed-Purple 186B Pollen: Not observed Pistil:     Number: 1 Length: 4.5 cm. Style: Length: 4.2 cm. Color: Near RHS Re     Red-Purple 75D d-Purple 58A Stigma: Globular, colored near     Red-Purple 75A Ovary: Sericeous texture. Approximately 0.3 cm in     diameter. Colored near Red-Purple 75D. -   Other characteristics:     -   -   Disease and pest resistance.—Not observed to be susceptible             nor resistant to normal diseases and pests of Rhododendron             hybrid.         -   Temperature tolerance.—USDA Zone 6.         -   Fruit/seed production.—Not observed to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Rhododendron plant named ‘HOMLED’ as herein illustrated and described. 